Ex-Alaska Airlines Pilot to Plead Guilty and No-Contest in Attempted Engine-Cut Case

A former Alaska Airlines pilot accused of trying to cut the engines of a passenger flight in 2023 agreed to enter guilty and no-contest pleas in federal and state courts Friday as part of deals with prosecutors.

Joseph Emerson reached the plea agreements after prosecutors and defense attorneys negotiated terms, his attorney, Noah Horst, said. Horst said Emerson accepted the agreements because he wants to take responsibility for his actions and hopes to avoid additional time behind bars.

Prosecutors say Emerson tried to cut the engines of a Horizon Air flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco on Oct. 22, 2023, while he was riding off-duty in an extra cockpit jump seat. Flight attendants and other crew members subdued him after he grabbed two red handles that, if pulled, would have activated the plane's engine fire suppression system and cut off fuel to the engines. The crew diverted the aircraft to Portland, Oregon, where it landed safely with more than 80 people on board.

Emerson, who lives in Pleasant Hill, California, was charged in federal court and faced parallel state-level charges stemming from the episode. Prosecutors have not disclosed the precise terms of the plea agreements, and court filings to be submitted Friday will outline the counts to which he will plead and any sentencing recommendations.

In interviews with law enforcement after the incident, Emerson said he was despondent over the recent death of a friend, had taken psychedelic mushrooms about two days earlier and had not slept for more than 40 hours. He told investigators he believed he was dreaming at the time of the attempt and that he was trying to wake himself up by pulling the handles, which he thought would activate the fire suppression system and shut off engine fuel.

Flight crews and airline officials credited the rapid response of the cabin and flight crew for preventing harm. Federal aviation and law enforcement agencies opened investigations after the incident to determine what happened and whether aviation safety rules were violated. Aviation regulators and industry groups have told investigators for past incidents that fatigue, mental health crises and substance use are factors that can affect flight safety, and those topics have been raised in public discussion surrounding the case.

Emerson's case drew attention to the role of mental health and substance use in aviation safety as prosecutors prepared charges. Officials have said they will review crew procedures and policies on cockpit access and off-duty personnel riding in jump seats. Airlines and regulators have long maintained protocols intended to limit cockpit access and ensure crew fitness for duty, but specific policy reviews related to this case have not been detailed publicly.

Legal experts said plea agreements in cases like this typically reflect negotiations that balance the strength of evidence, public safety considerations and the defendant's mental state at the time of the offense. Sentencing guidelines and potential penalties will be determined in part by the charges filed, the outcome of plea-hearing filings, any agreed-upon factual statements and whether Emerson is found to be subject to mental health or substance-related evaluations ordered by the court.

The incident led to heightened concern among passengers and within the airline industry about how personal crises and substance use are identified and addressed among aviation personnel. Federal agencies have been urged in prior incidents to continue work on policies that address pilot mental health, fatigue and substance misuse, including mandatory reporting, screening and support programs intended to prevent safety risks.

Court proceedings scheduled for Friday are expected to make the terms of the plea agreements public and will provide more detail about the charges to which Emerson will plead. Prosecutors, defense attorneys and the courts will determine any sentencing dates and whether additional hearings related to mental health evaluations or restitution will be required.